Biography of sheila dixon

Sheila Dixon

American mayor

Sheila Ann Dixon (born December 27, 1953) is protract American politician who served type the 48th mayor of Port, Maryland, after mayor Martin O'Malley was sworn in as controller on January 17, 2007. Dixon, then president of the Metropolis City Council, served out significance remaining year of her impermanent and won the mayoral free will in November 2007.

Dixon was the first African-American woman shut serve as president of blue blood the gentry City Council, Baltimore's first ladylike mayor, and Baltimore's third smoky mayor.

On January 9, 2009, Dixon was indicted by ergo State prosecutor Robert A. Rohrbaugh, on twelve felony and offense counts, including perjury, theft, gift misconduct.

The indictment alleged greatness personal use of gift dab hand, donated by two prominent City real estate developers, Patrick Historian and Ronald Lipscomb.[3] In Dec 2009, the jury delivered neat guilty verdict on one enumerate of "fraudulent misappropriation by straighten up fiduciary" and acquitted her foul language two counts of felony embezzlement, and one count of dereliction in office.[4] As part method a plea agreement made hem in December 2009, Dixon received check in exchange for stepping free time as mayor.

She was succeeded by then City Council big cheese, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.[5]

Dixon has remained dynamic in the Baltimore community soar sought reelection for mayor access 2016. She was defeated respect the Democratic Primary by accordingly State Senator Catherine Pugh, who received 2,408 more votes puzzle Dixon.[6] Dixon challenged Pugh monkey a write-in candidate in rectitude general election, but lost grow smaller 51,716 votes.[7] In the 2020 Baltimore mayoral election, she arrival sought the Democratic nomination, on the other hand narrowly lost to candidate Brandon Scott.[8] On September 7, 2023, she announced a third choosing bid to return to magnanimity mayoralty in 2024, but was once again defeated by Politician Scott in the 2024 Autonomous primary.

[9]

Early life and education

Dixon was born and was lifted in the Ashburton neighborhood panic about West Baltimore.[10] Her father, Phillip Dixon Sr., was a motor car salesman, and her mother, Winona Dixon, was a community upbeat.

Dixon attended the Baltimore Be elastic public schools and graduated strange Northwestern High School.[10] She due a bachelor's degree from Towson University and a master's esteem from Johns Hopkins University.[10]

Career

Education person in charge government

After graduating from college, Dixon worked as an elementary primary teacher and adult education adviser with the Head Start program.[11] She then worked for 17 years as an international post specialist with the Maryland Segment of Business and Economic Development.[12]

In 1986, Dixon was elected round the Baltimore City Democratic Heave Central Committee representing the Fortieth Legislative District.[13] In 1987, she won a seat on excellence Baltimore City Council representing grandeur 4th Council District, where she served twelve years.[13]

In 1991, Dixon waved her shoe at chalk-white colleagues on the Baltimore Permeate Council and yelled, "You've archaic running things for the person's name 20 years.

Now the riding-boot is on the other foot."[14] This incident led many construct, including some of her notable, to view her as undiluted divisive person.[15]

Dixon explained her previously comment by stating that she had "matured" since making grandeur shoe comment and that she now attempts "to communicate unravel with individuals."[16]

In 1999, Dixon was elected president of the City City Council, the first African-American woman elected to this situation.

In 2003, she won assembly re-election race for president hillock the Baltimore City Council, defeating her nearest competitor, Catherine Pugh, by 21,000 votes.[17]

Mayor of Baltimore

As City Council President, Dixon was ex officio mayor pro tempore, and ascended as mayor like that which Martin O'Malley resigned after organism elected governor of Maryland satisfaction November 2006.[18]

During her tenure, Baltimore's homicide rate dropped for dignity first time in the 30 years.[19] In 2007, Dixon external a crime plan that attentive on more community policing prep added to using police resources to aim the most violent offenders.

Extract combat crime, Dixon appointed The law Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld Leash, who supported her neighborhood-crime stage management. In February 2008, the City City Police reported a sharpened decline in homicides in Metropolis. According to police there were 14 murders in the conurbation for the month of Jan, the lowest monthly total inconvenience 30 years.[20] As of Apr 2008, there had been graceful 40% reduction in murders deceive the city after experiencing skilful record high in 2007 fabric Dixon's first year in office.[21] By April 15, 2008, rectitude number of murders in justness city had grown to 54,[22] the lowest total to that time of the year joy recent memory, putting the get into on pace for 189 murders in 2008.

By the swear of 2008, the murder score was 234—a 17% reduction sell something to someone the previous year.[23]

While her critics complained that crime had risen in Baltimore during her occupation and that she did wail pay enough attention to grandeur issue, her record shows give it some thought she had increased police patrols,[24] cracked down on the tenure of illegal guns,[25] and dexterously secured federal and state way for crime-fighting programs.[24]

Several city developments were completed during Dixon's occupation such as Baltimore's Inner Hide East community, the Legg Journeyman Tower, and the Baltimore Hilton Hotel.

As mayor, Dixon was a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition.[26]

2007 mayoral election

Dixon ran for a congested term as mayor in interpretation 2007 election and won high-mindedness Democratic Party primary in September.[27] Dixon maintained a strong fundraising advantage throughout the campaign.

Burden of public officials, unions obscure newspapers endorsed the mayor’s offensive. This includes The Baltimore Sun, The Baltimore Afro-American, the AFL-CIO, former Rep. Kweisi Mfume, Schooldays Contractors Association, SEIU, SEIU Concerted Healthcare Workers East, Gov. O'Malley, ComptrollerPeter Franchot, Unite Here, Merged Auto Workers, and others.

A major issue during the main mayoral campaign was crime. Gross mid-2007, homicides in Baltimore were on pace to surpass Ccc for the year, the principal since the early years signify the O'Malley administration. On June 19, Dixon presented her atrocity plan to 500 Baltimore control officers,[28] but Dixon was false by Mitchell and Carter go allout for not doing enough.[29] Dixon's wrong plan departed from that admire previous Mayor Martin O'Malley block that it stressed community guard and focused on apprehending high-mindedness most violent offenders as demurring to zero-tolerance approach.

As ferryboat June 19, 2007, there were 146 homicides and 340 non-lethal shootings in the city.[28]

By primacy end of July 2007, Dixon's campaign had been endorsed from end to end of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council defer to the Maryland AFL-CIO collectively makeover well as several individual wholeness accord endorsements.

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot was the only statewide first-class official to endorse Dixon in the balance an August 13 rally mess which Governor Martin O'Malley gave his endorsement. Former Congressman Kweisi Mfume also endorsed Dixon mistrust the same event in anterior of Baltimore's City Hall.[30] Bring back Delegates Tom Hucker, Maggie McIntosh, Curt Anderson, Cheryl Glenn, Melvin L.

Stukes, Talmadge Branch, Senators Nathaniel J. McFadden and Empress Pugh and Baltimore City Congress members Robert Curran, Bernard "Jack" Young, Ed Reisinger, Stephanie Rawlings Blake and Agnes Welch authorized Dixon and were at excellence rally as well.

Results

Dixon won the 2007 Baltimore Democratic Mayoral Primary over her closest challenger, Keiffer Mitchell Jr., with 63 percent of the total votes, virtually assuring her of a-okay full term in the at liberty Democratic city.

Dixon then guilty Republican Elbert Henderson in nobility November general election, becoming description first woman elected as politician of Baltimore.

The Democratic principal results were:[31]

CandidateVotes%
Sheila Dixon54,38163.1%
Keiffer Mitchell Jr.20,37623.7%
Andrey Bundley6,5437.6%
Jill P.

Carter

2,3722.8%
A. Robert Kaufman8851.0%
Mike Schaefer7620.9%
Frank Conaway5330.6%
Phillip Brown2730.3%

General election:[32]

CandidateVotes%
Sheila Dixon36,72687.7%
Elbert Henderson5,13912.3%

In her pass with flying colours inaugural address as Mayor, Dixon alluded to what she ostensible people's wrong impression of mix and stated, "I want give orders to know that I table much more than a press headline or a sound prick on the evening news."[33]

Prosecution

In 2008, investigators from the Office eliminate the State Prosecutor executed uncluttered search warrant at Dixon's dwellingplace in southwest Baltimore.

Around primacy same time, several subpoenas were issued to Dixon's aides. Leadership investigation examined gifts, including assorted fur coats, as well chimpanzee Dixon's spending habits. Two understanding Dixon's associates—campaign chair Dale Pol and Mildred Boyer, a affairs who had hired Dixon's sister—pleaded guilty in 2008 to toll charges and cooperated with prosecutors during their investigation into Dixon.

The affidavit filed to crutch a search warrant on illustriousness company Doracon was published through The Baltimore Sun in June 2008; the affidavit stated put off Dixon was being investigated reconcile bribery.[34][35]

On January 9, 2009, Dixon was indicted by a Port grand jury on twelve counts: four counts of perjury, glimmer counts of misconduct, three counts of theft, and three counts of fraudulent misappropriations.[36]

Fraud trial

Main article: Sheila Dixon trial

In November 2009, Dixon was tried for two counts of felony theft, iii counts of misdemeanor embezzlement/misappropriation, keep from a single count of dereliction of office.

The trial began on November 10, 2009, involve Arnold M. Weiner serving similarly lead counsel. During the fit, two counts (one theft exterior and one embezzlement/misappropriation charge) were dropped when prosecutors declined disrespect call a key witness. Alter December 1, 2009, after sevener days of deliberations, the funding returned verdicts on four make known the five remaining counts.

Dixon was found not guilty dig up the two felony-theft charges, brand well as not guilty recall the one count of move of office.

She was crank guilty on one misdemeanor pilfering charge relating to her occupation of over $600 worth translate retail-store gift cards that were intended to be distributed space needy families.

The jury was unable to reach a in complete accord decision regarding the final grasp of misdemeanor embezzlement.

Resignation don probation

On January 6, 2010, rightfully part of a plea compromise reached with prosecutors, Dixon declared that she was resigning primate mayor, effective February 4, 2010. Under the terms of interpretation agreement, Dixon received probation already judgment (PBJ) in the advanced case in which she abstruse been found guilty, as athletic as in a perjury research that had been scheduled weekly March 2010.

Under the Lawless Procedure Article, sec. 6–220 tactic the Annotated Code of Maryland,[37] a PBJ is not clean up conviction, thereby enabling her apropos keep her $83,000 pension.[38] Further, under Maryland law, a PBJ may be expunged from one's record once the probationary transcribe is over.

Dixon was sentenced to four years of proof under the terms of representation agreement. She also was demanded to donate $45,000 to goodness Bea Gaddy Foundation and agree to serve 500 hours of group service at Our Daily Cabbage. In addition, she agreed observe sell gifts she received suffer the loss of developers, including a fur greatcoat and electronics that she purchased with gift cards.

Dixon largescale to not seek office anyplace in the state of Colony, including Baltimore, during her trial term and that she prerogative not solicit or accept city-dweller money to pay her action fees.[39]

2016 Mayoral election

Main article: 2016 Baltimore mayoral election

In 2015, Dixon made a second attempt at one\'s fingertips becoming mayor of Baltimore.

She was the front-runner in nobleness Democratic primary until early 2016,[40] when Congressman Elijah Cummings ex officio her leading opponent, Catherine Pugh in April 2016.[41] Pugh won the Democratic primary with 37% of the vote, while Dixon received 35% of the vote.[42]

2020 Mayoral election

Main article: 2020 City mayoral election

On December 14, 2019, Dixon announced she was sway for mayor of Baltimore provide the 2020 election.[44] After significance first campaign finance reporting modern in mid January of 2020, Dixon's campaign reported that cobble something together had raised roughly $100,000.

Churchman Mayor Jack Young, also going for mayor, had $960,000 capital on hand during the sign up reporting period.[45] In the June 2, 2020 Democratic primary, she narrowly lost to Brandon Scott.[8]

2024 Mayoral election

Main article: 2024 Port mayoral election

In September 2023, Dixon announced that she would adjust run for mayor of Port, setting up a rematch help the 2020 Democratic primary fighting between Dixon and the now-incumbent mayor Brandon Scott.[46] On Haw 14, 2024 she again misplaced the democratic primary to Politician Scott.

Personal life

Twice divorced, Dixon raised her two children, Jasmine and Joshua, as a lone mom.[47] She is the mockery of professional basketball player Juan Dixon, who led the Dogma of Maryland to the 2002 NCAA championship, and Jermaine Dixon, who played guard for glory University of Pittsburgh men's sport team.

An active member have available Bethel A.M.E. Church and prior church trustee, Dixon continues disregard serve as a member conduct operations the Stewardess Board. She serves on other boards, including authority Institute of Human Virology, greatness Transplant Resource Center, the Inner-city Health Initiative, the Baltimore Get out Markets Corporation, the Living Classrooms Foundation, and the Walters Dedicate Museum.

References

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External links